ISoS 




WAGS 




TH£ PHILOSOPHY op 
THE P£ACLPUL PUP 

BY 

MORGAN SHEPARD 




Class 
Book. 



P 53^3y 



CopightN". 



\C|OC| 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




mim 



iiMiliminiiiiiiabi 



WAGS 



PHILOSOPHY 
PEACEFUL 



PUP 



/nORGAN 



SHEPARD 



^ 



A. WESSEILS 

PUBLISHER 

NEIAV YORK 






Copyright, igog 
NEWOLD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

September 



248349 



WA G S 




3ntrobuction 



FM just a Smilin^ Puppic^ 

My Grin is plain to see* 
I sit an' GRIN like anythin' 

For nothin' worries me^ 
When Trouble comes to nag mc, 

An' scowls fierce an' grim^ 
I just begin a pleasant Grin 

An' that's the end of HIM* 
So try the Game of Smilin' 

Because it always wins. 
You're sure to make Old Worry quake 

By greetin' him with GRINS. 




m Hong Cale 
of a ^fiort Cail 

I 

HEN I was old enough to sec, 
And young enough to mind, 

I made a great discovery — 
It was my tail behind* 

I gazed at it with filmy eye, 
What could the object be? 
I thought of it and wondered why 

God gave that Thing to me* 

n 

It was not there to decorate 

That latter part of me. 
It was so short and came so late. 

What could the poor thing be? 
It did not seem to balance right 

Where they had tried to stick it; 
It slipped away far out of sight. 

Each time I tried to lick it. 





If you want a bite of it 
Always keep in sight of it 



a w A G s a 



ni 

And when I looked quite fair and square 

Into its foolish face, 
It seemed ashamed of being there 

As if in some disgrace. 
It could not be a handle or 

A rope, nor yet a string, 
For if you pull you make it sore. 

And hurt like anything. 

IV 

Or if a flea meanders there 

(And takes a passing chew), 
It hurts me some, now that^s not fair; — 

I leave it, Friend, to you. 
What earthly use could short tails be, 

I wanted much to know. 
It stuck so close and followed me — 

How could I make it GO, 




^ 



Humble things belong to you — 
Don^t condemn — that's wrong of you. 



a WA G S fi 



I pondered long and thought it out 

(My mother told me to), 
But it would stay and hang about; 

Now I leave it to you — 
If any one you do not know 

Keeps hanging on behind, 
Don't you just awful tired grow, 

And then relieve your mind? 

VI 

You're apt to get a sour fit; 

You frown and pass along; 
You sometimes shake yourself, and it^ 

And go where you belong. 
Now that's exactly what I did — 

I shook it like a rag. 
I wanted so to get well rid 

Of it. I SAW IT WAG!!! 





Never hide the juicy bone 

'Til you know that you're alone. 



WA G s a 



vn 

O, then I knew, right well I knew. 

What that attachment meant; 
I saw quite plainly why it grew. 

And why a tail was sent. 
I started in at once to try 

To make my ending jiggle, 
And tears of joy bedimmed my eye 

Each time I saw it wiggle. 

vm 

By Jinkie! Then I passed the day 

At wagging part of me; 
It was the nicest kind of play; 

It was an ECSTACY. 
When I saw Dogs, or Things, or you 

Come anywhere around, 
rd wiggle waggle, ''How de doo?'' 

And roll upon the ground. 





Don't worry or mind 
About troubles behind, 



a WA G S fi 



IX 

Now this was just to show you, sir, 

How nice a tail could be, 
And though it was below you^ sir, 

That tail was part of me. 
As time went on a worthy pride 

Developed as I grew, 
For everybody far and wide 

My happy ending knew* 



And I would watch with beaming eyes 

Each smile, or laugh, or look, 
For people stared with some surprise 

At kinks my ending took* 
I hope you will not think me vain 

In calling to your mind 
The pride which is akin to pain 

To have a tail behind. 





Or go to your bed 
With troubles ahead* 



a WA G s a 



XI 

It is emotion passing sweet 

To think, to feel, to know 
You have an ending quite complete 

That you can wiggle so* 
To feel that you may move at will 

A certain part of you, 
When all the rest of 'you is still, 

Just thrills one through and through* 

XII 

An instrument which is unique, 

A PER-SON-AL-ITY; 
I sometimes find it hard to speak, 

Such pleasure stifles me* 
You will excuse my eloquence. 

This is my happy day; 
Though but a Dog, my recompense 

WiU every difference pay^ 




^i 






Are pleasantly contagious; 




A wagging tail, a happy face, 
lie 



a W A G S fi 



xm 

When friends I seek, or friends I see, 

My wag tells well the tale 
Of wordless faith and sympathy, 

And love that will not fail. 
When Sorrow clouds the eyes of one 

Whose Life's Day is my Day, 
A little wag is gently done — 

To drive the clouds away^ 

XIV 

When merriment (a chiming thing). 

Falls ringing at my feet. 
Does not my wag ring out its ring? 

Is not my joy complete? 
When Children, oft as dumb as I, 

Have woes which find no word 
To show the depths where yearnings lie. 

My wag shows / have heard* 




A sour jowl is a disgrace 
And is a thing outrageous. 



a wA G s a 



XV 

So, Fricndt just bless the WAG well made, 

A wag that's grave or gay ; 
Then joys will bloom and sorrows fade 

With every mounting day. 
Both Wags and Smiles have spreading ways, 

O, bid them spread, my friend! 
Sighs kill the hours, smiles make the days, 

LET US WAG TO THE END* 




Don't ever let a bark get out 
Until there're things to fuss about, 




t©ings; 

(By the Doleful Pup) 

There is no use denyin' 

That Life is full of Woe, 
An' Cares an' Pain an' Sighing 

An' a Stomach Ache or so* 
But let us keep on tryin^ 

To do our best below, 
An' get some Wings for flyin' 

Where Pious Doggies go. 




iou l|ab a Cail 



I 

H^ don't you wish you had a tail 

To wig:gle in the wind; 
A part of you that will not fail 

To follow on behind? 
A sort oMumpy, bumpy, stump, 

That seems attached to you, 
And telegraphs with flumpy thump, 

The thing it wants to do» 



U 

Say, don't you wish you always had 

A part that was the end 
Of your beginning, good or bad. 

That still remained your friend; 
A friend that you could shake at will. 

Withal a good friend, who 
Though thick or thin was faithful still. 

And ever close to you? 




The wind may blow from North to-day. 
But wait^ *twill blow another way* 



a wA G s a 



' III 

Now don't you wish there was a part 

Of your an-at-o-my 
That you could stop or you could start 

Both quick and easily; 
A sort of finger on behind, 

That you can often use 
To wobble and divert your mind, 

Or WAG it when you choose? 

IV 

I mean by this that every pup 

(A decent pup, and fine), 
Meets trouble while he's growing up, 

A' scattered 'long the line* 
Now with your tail, why, you can show 

Indifference or defense. 
And point the road for them to go, 

And still givz no offense. 




Turn your back toward a woe, 
Then watch it go, and go, and Go. 



a wA G s a 



V 

So grow a tail, my human friend, 

It is a great diversion, 
It saves your head (your other end). 

And brings sincere conversion 
From sour jowl to happy face 

Each time you jiggle it, 
From Grouchy House to Jolly Place, 

Each time you wiggle it* 




O, if you must have cats for friends, 
Beware your nose — or other" ends!- 




^¥v Mv 



They say that ''Life's a vale of Woe/' 

(It is for those who make it so») 
Thev Say more Troubles come than go, 

(That's right for those who take it so.) 
But there are folks around who say 

That Life is GOOD and Troubles pass 
And sunny days make bully hay 

Of CARE— when told to '' Go to Grass/' 




a wA G s a 

^mile!! 

I 

HEN your heart is dull and sore; 
When the game of life's a bore; 
When the scrabble and the rabble 
make you **bile''; 
When the friend you thought was true 
Takes to knocker-roasting you. 
Then it's time for you to open up a smile 
(OR WAG). 

II 

When your atmosphere is blue; 
When your laundry bill is due; 

When every thing and every one is vile; 
When you spurn your daily hash, 
And your prospects go to smash. 

Then its time for you to open up a smile 
(AND WAG). 




If you make a big mistake 
Do not whine or pine. 



fi WA G S fi 



in 

For you might as well just grin, 
It is sure to filter in 

Through the muddle and the fuddle of 
your trials; 
It will always percolate 
To the problems of your pate^ 

So> then^ open up and try a bunch of smiles 

(THEN WAG)* 

IV 

Try the '^grin cure/' for it works 
Like a charm, and always lurks 
In your heart and in your head, 
and so beguiles 
Pleasure's sweetness out of pain, 
Ducats to your sack again; 

So, then, why not make your face a 
place of smiles ? 

(O, WAG)* 




If you're broke or soon will break 
Don't fret or regret* 



a WA G s a 




.^ I t i^ tu n 

I 

HAT'S the use o' worrying 

For the world will stifi go roun'; 
W^hat's the use o' scurryin' 

When it's easy to sit down ? 
There ain't no sense o' frettin' 

When there's cushions^ chairs and stools; 
Just spend your time forgettin'; 

Leave rememberin' to Fools* 

II 

You might as well keep smilin', 

For there ain't a bit o' sense 
Of stirrin' and a-rilin' 

And a-longin' too intense* 
It's awful nice a-sittin' 

Watchin' troubles floatin' by> 
Smiles 'cross yer face a-fittin' 

And Contentment in yer eye* 




If a foe or so you make^ 
Guard your skin where it's thin* 



a WA G S fi 



m 

An' what's the use o' whinin' 

When a smile will cure a frown? 
An' what's the use o' pinin' 

When it*s easy to sit down? 
What's the use o' hurryin' 

When yer work will come to you- 
Fer yer foolish flurryin' 

Gives yer lots more work to do. 

IV 

Say — what's the use o' gazin' 

Too far beyond yer nose ? 
It's much more fun a-lazin' 

In the world about your toze* 
The world is full an' pilin' 

With a awful lot o' things; 
What orter keep yer smilin' 

Like a row of happy kings* 




Just smile for goodness' sake, 
And forget. 



WA G s a 



I like to sec fat bubbles 

Go a-bustin' with a splash I 
I like to see my troubles 

Go to grass with other trash* 
So, quit yer silly stewin' 

For it doesn't pay a bit; 
Just do what Fm a-doin' 

And sit a WELL-SOT SIT* 



w 




Every Good Dog has his day, 
So, at least, the Preachers say^ 




Uite 

This Life is like a Mutton Bone, 

Chucked out for us to gnaw^ 
It's UP TO YOU and you alone. 

To chaw, an' chaw, an' chaw^ 
It may seem bare, it may seem dry. 

An' hardly worth attackin' 
But don't forget that if you try 

You'll find it worth the crackin' 




a WA G s a 

MILES at Breakfast start the day, 

Easy Tasks will follow^ 
Smiles at Dinner pave the Way 

For a luscious Swallow^ 
Smiles at Supper light your Home 

So no sneaking Sorrow- 
Dares to enter there or come 

Moping 'round To-morrow» 

2? I e s; s; i n g s( 

Give me a bone to gnaw alone. 

And time to sleep at ease; 
A little fun out in the sun, 

And not too many fleas* 
O, may my faws and my two paws 

Stay useful to the End, 
A saving Grace in Time or Place 

To hold my Foe or Friend. 




rd rather have a little tail 
Than not a tail at all, 




a wA G s a 

•C lie 2? lues 



HE Blues is a Disease that is 

Most certainly contagious; 
And those that have them suffer with 

Some Symptoms just outrageous* 
Good Nature is quite ^'catching/' too^ 

But then it is a virtue — 
So catch it good and have it long, 

Its symptoms will not hurt you. 



^ u n sJ f) i n e 

I've never seen the Shadows yet 
That in the Sun won't vanish; 

Nor have I ever seen or met 

The Care that Smiles can't banish, 





So a Cat must have his night — 
Wellt who cares? just let him fight. 




J^fecretion 



When I was young an^ frisky^ 

I acted orful gay; 
But now I think it risky, 

An' find it doesn't pay. 
The things most worth the gettin' 

Are just a Friend or two, 
An' sense to keep forgettin' 

The Fleas that bother you* 




a W A G s a 

^■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■i^HHHB^HHIHBiB 

Cl)e OSolben M^t 

Smile — why not? 
Show me the Spot 

In life so dark and dreary 
That does not hide 
A gleaming side 

Where things are bright and cheery^ 
I smile — I do^ 
And so should you — 

Go Vound the spot — behind it; 
It has two sides. 
One of them hides 

The Golden Spot — go find iU 

J^igappointment 

A Disappointment is a petty thing, 
With sour face and nagging ways ; 

So, therefore, we should laugh away its sting 
To make full room for Happy Days* 





For crowning Joys will sometimes grow 
From Blesskigs very smalL 



a wA G s a 

CI)t t©orllr 

The World keeps goin' roun^ an^ round, 

It doesn't stop, it doesn't stick. 
The World keeps livin! safe an' sound 

Because it doesn't fuss an' kick. 
The World is FAT, an' full of Things, 

Like Friends an' Food an' spots of Sun, 
An' Trees where Somethin^ always sings* 

The World is bustin' Fat with FUR 

fenocfeing 

I don't believe in Knockin', 

A knock's a sort o' boost, 
That makes your Luck go flockin' 

To another Fellow's roost* 
I don't believe in ''Roastin'" 

Any thing or any one; 
It only ends in toastin' 

Things, 'till they are overdone* 




Wag your Tail on a sunny day, 
Wag it on a dreary; 




t©is;bom 



Come here my Child and listen 

To Wisdom of the Wise. 
Look out for bones that glisten 

An' blind your Puppy eyes. 
Just grab the bone that's iiighest^ 

An' never mind the rest ; 
The Bone that looks the dryest, 

Well chewed is often best. 




CxercisJe 



There's nothin' like the Air an' Sun 

With lots of EXERCISIN', 
To make you feel that Life is Fun, 

An' make your Hopes go risin\ 
For aches an' pains an' grouchy fits 

Don't find the place attractive 
That keeps a-shakin' them to bits 

When folks get good an' ACTIVE, 



a WAGS a 

CusiSin' 

Was Yesterday a Hard Luck Day? 

An' does Today look worser? 
Have all your Hopelets drip'd away 

An' left you just a Curser? 
It is no use TO CUSS my Friend, 

For ** Cussin' is upsetting 
Just whistle for Good Luck an' spend 

Tomorrow— just FORGETTIN\ 

feitfeing 

Say, what's the use o' Kickin'? 

It only hurts your toes, 
And leaves the prickers stickin' 

Up, in irritatin' rows. 
I'd rather sviile than grumble : 

I'd rather wait than kick, 
For Kickers always stumble, 

When Smilers win the Trick. 




And wag your tail the other way. 
When you are worn and weary. 



a wA G s a 



lokt6 



T'S best to keep a-smilin^ 

For a smile's a kind o' Net 
That catches by beguilin^ 

Jest the things it wants to get* 
So keep your smile a-spreadin'; 

Crack a jolly joke or two — 
An' you'll find that things come headin' 

Straight for Smilin' Pokes like you* 

t©orfeins 

We might as well keep workin^ 

For it helps us to forget 
The Duties that keep lurkin' 

And things that we regret* 
Good Work keeps us from thinkin' 

Of Trouble an' of Fleas, 
And stops the warp an' shrinkin' 

That comes with too much ease. 




For Wags will change the atmosphere 
And prove a great distraction. 




ifrienbs^ 



I like to eat and I like to drink, 
And I like to snuggle at ease. 

I like to blink in the sun an' think 
Of the fun of Livin' an' Fleas. 

All these are fine-but they pass away 
For Fleas an' Foolin' will end 

But the Things that pay an' the Things 
that stay — 

Are Love an' the Faith of a Friend. 



a wA G s a 

What is a DAY ? A Day is FUN, 

An' food an' Work an' Waggin'; 
A pleasant Run— a Spot of Sun, 

With no one 'round a-naggin'* 
An' what is CARE— a Care is TRASH, 

An' so are Fleas an' Troubles; 
They're made to smash an' made to splash 

Like Mutton Bones an' Bubbles* 

l|urrpins 

What's the use o' hurryin' 

An' driving through the day? 
Wastin' wit by scurryin' 

Doesn't ever pay. 
Just take it good an' easy, 

Your Head should save your feet. 
An' make your '*cogs" go greasy 

To grind the Rocks you meet* 




As well as bringing Things more near 
That wait for some attractiocu 



I^ecalogue of a <8oob J^og 



SOT DOWN IN RIME 




E kindly to all ; give love to but few; 

Give the best of your heart to a Friend ; 
Love seldom, because much loving will brew 

A mess of distrust in the end» 

^ n. Greet Friends with a sm3e or wag if you can, 
For a smile or a wag makes the day 
Sunny warm in the start for beastie or man, 
And lightens our cares by the way* 

IIL Don^t stick up your tail too stiff in the air 

In suspicion or scorn* Don't scratch dust* 
For bristling backs and tousled hair 
Will breed in all hearts quick distrust* 

IV* Make Friends, for through them the greater 
will grow 
Your power, and happiness, too. 
Don't slobber or fawn in winning them though* 
Stand pat on your legs when you do. 




Laws there are and Laws must be 
For Dogs and Human Folks; 



a wA G s a 



V* When visiting people or kingdoms that are 
Unknown to you then or before^ 
Look well where you go, and don't go too far 
For your tail may get pinched in a door* 

VL When doing your work, let a plain dignity 
And modesty balance your taiU 
Take a smell, do it well, with a wag as you see 
That purpose in work cannot fail* 

Vn* Keep your nose from the track of any old scrap. 
Never sniff for a row — let it go ; 
For the hunted-up fight is often a trap 
To bring even you mighty low* 

Vin* Fight seldom, but when a fight's up to you, 
Make justice or honor the cause* 
Defending the weak, put it thoroughly through ; 
Guarding well your collar and paws* 




So keep these Laws religiously 
But take them all as Jokes. 



a WA G s a 



IX» Eat enough to keep well, and get if you can 
Some extras to make your mouth gay ; 
But don't ever gorge (leave that to a man), 
Stuffed bellies drive reason away^ 

X» Seize joy that is yours; play well when you play ; 
Wag your tail with a zest to the end» 
Sleep in peace, breathe good air, and count 
good the day 
That you spend by the side of a Friends 




Portrait<S,DecQratior)^ 
ar)d TAIL pieoa^ by 
Harold Sict)el apd 
StacyUWood'froin 
poses , ar)d by advice 
oi^ TUL PUP a^ 




,,,f-'8RARy OF 



ffi'^GRESS 



oiTr^^mmmm , 



» '•'•d 



